Atonement
by Shadoah Kriegel
Summary: I am asking ahead of time that those who are set to complain about this story, please don't. Give people a chance to read it themselves before starting a bunch of drama on a story. Thank you. I will be continuing Heartbeat sometime next week, but I wanted to start this one while the idea was fresh in my head. Rating it M now because it will be M eventually
1. Sakura's Despair

**Just to prove that I will NOT be "Wussed out" by some random rude pompous arrogant whelp who most likely is being rude because they get a kick out of it, I will be making the next chapter of Heartbeat sometime later next week. I would also like to issue a sincere apology to a SasuSaku who's comment was deleted accidentally when I was cleaning out other flames. I have chosen to leave the one flame up by the random just to show that even though some people take advantage of the generosity of the writers, one does not have to bow out and stop writing and I can only hope that everyone else who despises flamers will take after me in gaining courage to not let those kinds of people push them around. And one last friendly reminder, I am NOT looking for advice to "improve" so if my story doesn't match to what one expects of it, please do not flame me for it being crappy because I write my own way.**

 **For those who are not familiar, this story will most likely be a combination of a lot of things, but it will start off similar to Xena.**

Sakura was running through the trees heading back to Konoha, she had done so many things that she knew would probably never be forgiven. She could only hope she would be, or else she would never have anything again. She stopped a distance away from the village hidden in the Rain. She dug through the ground while she dug a hole deep enough to bury a few things. She slowly removed her thin blade and tossed it into the hole, tossing in her circular blade next. She slowly removed the armor she wore and tossed that in as well before kneeling down and moving the soil back on top to cover it.

She snapped her head up and quickly backed into the brush, watching while a grounp of women were herded into a center of men in fear. Sakura stood in silence while she heard one of the men tell them that he could take the women and let the men return to the villages quietly or the men could be hacked to pieces and they would take the women anyway. Sakura watched while one of the mean had taken a whip and was prepared to whip the young girl before him, without hesitation Sakura appeared behind him and grasped his wrist, halting the movement of the whip.

"I Must admit, this village has tough women. I guess an example should be made" He withdrew his sword and lunged at Sakura, she merely grasped the blade between her palms and landed a kick to his stomach, spinning to toss aside the sword and deliver an uppercut to his jaw. She took hold of a spear that was tossed at her and spinning it she knocked the second group of men that came at her. She slammed the spear into the final group and flipping over the spear she lifted it, knocking the last group out. Turning she walked towards the one who attacked her first and slowly knelt down before him.

She moved the cloth on his shoulder aside and sneered. "Kabuto. Tell him that Sakura, sends his regards." She said and watched while he and his now conscious men took off for their camp. Sakura dug back up her armor and weapons and placed them back on her. She looked at the villagers and sighed, they all looked at her as if she were going to round on them next, but she couldn't blame them.

"Look we don't want trouble, so just take your things and go." Some older woman stated rudely. Sakura turned and began running through the woods to get back to Konoha, but veered off to the left before the gates, heading for the hidden camp that she knew Kabuto had stationed in the confines of the grove. She stealthily made it by his guards and into his tent, standing behind him at the entrance.

"Hello Kabuto" she said softly, Kabuto dropped his kunai and spun around. Smiling he moved slowly towards her. "It's been a while hasn't it? I came here for a favor, leave the rain villagers alone." Kabuto grabbed her and grasped her arms, Sakura met his eyes and understood everything he had once told her. That he wanted to either be in combat with her or in love with her and she denied him at every turn.

"Fine, I will leave the village alone. But tell me Sakura, what do you hope to find back in Konoha? Forgiveness? I tried once to seek forgiveness and I was beaten to near death by my father. I can guarantee you will get the same treatment from your precious Kage" Sakura merely smiled and said goodbye before heading back to Konoha. She stopped at the gates and slowly walked in, heading for Tsunade's tower, immediately giving herself into the hands of Anbu to show she had no intention of doing anything to resist.

She stood before Tsunade, her mother in silence. "Why have you come back Sakura?" Tsunade asked, Sakura explained that Kabuto was outside the gates of Konoha and waiting to attack it if they didn't do something about it. "And let me guess, you want a few anbu to head him off and mount a defense? Not this time Sakura, leave. You did this once and almost collapsed the village of Konoha, you should never have come back."

Sakura turned when she heard people calling her name, she spun back around. "Mother please, you have to believe me." When Sakura was met with the finality of her Kage and mother, she left the building and headed to the memorial caves to see her brother Kiyoshi.

"You always were the pure one weren't you Kiyoshi? Always able to see the good in me even though I went bad for a while. I can't blame anyone here for not believing me, but I have to believe YOU can. It is so hard to be all alone here since you left me."

"You are never alone Sakura…" a familiar voice called out. Sakura turned around to see someone she dreamed about since she left…Sasuke Uchiha.


	2. Update and review memo

I will be attending to some of the comments for this story….

Guest: Ok I'm liking this so far very interesting wondering why sakura went bad and left the village and its hard to see tsunade hate sakura, does she like sasuke?

Answer: She does like sasuke, but she wanted better for konoha and she left however she became bad when she became obsessed with trying to hone her skills, she lost sight of what was important. Tsunade doesn't really hate her, however she has a duty to the leaf and seeing as how sakura has done more damage than good for konoha, she is inclined to deny her request.

A: I…am okay with this story. Would've been a little more than okay if it wasn't going a little bit too fast. Also, I have no idea what this fic is about because the summary provided nothing on the story. Anyway keep updating.

Answer: first off, I apologize, I have had a real pain of a reviewer on another story harass my fanfic because it wasn't how he felt it needed to be. I had to report him to Fanfiction in email. The story is basically about how Sakura started off wanting what was best for her village and hone her skills but she became bad somehow in the process. She goes back to try to make amends for what she has done and is greeted with a cold shoulder, she never understands why until she discovers that she is half good, half bad. She discovers it with the help of Sasuke whom she has always loved and he has loved her in return, they just could never do anything about it because Tsunade would forbid him from seeing her. The information will unfold as the story continues.

I apologize to all reviewers who like this story, I shall try to update as follows, but please bear in mind that I have a 10am-6pm shift Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Every day of the weel. I only have Tuesdays and Wednesdays off and due to my nephew being with me those days it is hard for me to write.

Stories I will try to update as soon as possible

Atonement

Heartbeat

Sakura's Darkness

A Family life

Thank you,

Shadoah


	3. Finally Home

Sakura met his gaze with her own before walking past him and out the door towards the gates of Konoha. She had never forgotten how much she loved him but she was not part of this life and therefore couldn't be a part of his life anymore. She felt his hand grasp her wrist and halt her movements. "Sakura, would you stop and explain to me what the hell is going on? First you took off several years ago without a word, we were best friends Sakura, you me and Naruto." He said forcing her to look at him.

"Were Sasuke. That is in the past, I am no longer part of Konoha, forget my existence, for we are no longer allies and friends. I am sorry but that is the way it must be" She ripped her wrist from his hand and continued walking out the gates, Sasuke sighed before turning and running to Tsunade for information.

"I Demand to know what the hell is going on with Sakura. We were best friends with that girl and some reason prevented her from telling us anything. So you are going to tell us what you know or I become a rogue just like her and I doubt you can afford to lose an Uchiha and the Kyubbi vessel in one shot" Sasuke demanded as he watched Tsunade's expression shift.

"Alright, I will tell you….Sakura is my daughter. However one fateful night her father tricked me and I thought he cared for me, turns out all he wanted was a child to test experiments on. I am not proud to admit I once loved Orochimaru and hoped he would change. I believed he had, but it was all a lie. He told me that while she was half innocent, she would always be half evil and would be the downfall to Konoha. She almost caused its downfall once, I cannot allow it to happen again Sasuke regardless of you and Naruto's feelings towards the girl" Tsunade said while her eyes shut against the pain of her actions.

Sasuke shook his head, "I can't believe you. That GIRL is your daughter, a daughter who has been lost without her mother's guidance or proper care. You think her father gives a care for her? No, he only cares for what power she can bring him. I'm going to go get her and bring her home, I am not letting her go again." Sasuke said as he turned and left, slamming the door behind him. Tsunade sighed and brought her hand to rest under her chin while thoughts of her face years ago were fresh in her memory…

 **FLASHBACK**

" **Mom I didn't mean it, I swear. I will never do it again" a 4 year old Sakura exclaimed when her mother escorted her to the gates and told her she was banished from Konoha. "I didn't know my father was bad Mom. He said he wanted to help…" Sakura was cut off as the gates closed before her leaving her oon her own in the cold forest. She moved to a tree and sat inside the hollowed trunk, crying for hours, a figure shifted before her and cupped her chin in hand, lifting her face up.**

" **There there, what is a little one like you doing out here and all alone too?" Sakura glanced up and saw a white haired man with glasses. His eyes looked merciful and she took his hand in hers and let him pull her out before explaining she was banished from Konoha. 'So this is the girl who Orochimaru fathered.' Kabuto thought and smiled. "Come, I have a home you can stay with me in till you are old enough to take care of yourself." Sakura smiled and followed willingly, her eyes shifting to a golden serpent eye while she glared at her mother and Konoha from the forest.**

 **FLASHBACK**

Sakura lay on the grass watching the clouds pass by, she sensed Sasuke and smirked. "You never give up do you Uchiha?" She looked up when he stood above her, watching her. She sat up and moved over to let him sit. "Won't your precious Kage flip her lid if she discovers you not in KOnoha?"

"I don't care. Come home Sakura, me and Naruto have gone crazy missing you and trying to find you. No one ever told us anything and we were never allowed to go search for you, it was forbidden. Please Sakura, tell me what happened." Sasuke met her gaze and for once, didn't like what he saw. Her eyes mirrored his own, emptiness, a void, loneliness, solitude and isolation.

"I was 4, my mother tossed me out because I met my father and thought he wanted to help, when he attacked the village I was blamed. I left to make myself stronger instead of trying to come back because I wanted to make Konoha proud of me, somewhere along the way I fell in with Kabuto and you could say we were brief lovers before I became seduced by the power of what he offered. Soon I was killing innocents, people trying to stop me in my quest for power. Until one night, I witnessed my father torturing an innocent child." Sakura said, her voice caught before Sasuke watched her wipe a tear away before it could spill down her cheek.

"The child had something Orochimaru wanted, and it was hidden in the village. When the child claimed to not know where it was, my father tortured him in unspeakable ways and I realized this was not the power I wanted. Nor was it the glory I wanted to bring to Konoha. So I left and tried to come home, and a lot of good it did me because I am still not welcome here." She said, standing swiftly. "I should leave, It is getting late and I don't want you in trouble with the Kage sasuke." She said softly before turning only to find her in his embrace.

"Sakura, I know I can't say anything to make it better for you, but I swear to you I will find a way to make Tsunade accept you again. Even if I have to become a rogue shinobi to do it. " Sakura cut him off by placing a finger to his lips. Sasuke met her soft gaze before her lips replaced her finger, Sasuke was lost in her kiss before she pulled back.

"I will return Sasuke. I Promise, I have something to take care of first." She whispered, watching as he nodded and went back through the gates into Konoha. Sakura looked the other way and knelt to the ground, monitoring the hoof prints. "So, Kabuto has made his move already, guess I better head in." she whispered before moving back to Tsunade's office.

"I told you to leave Sakura, you are not wanted nor needed here." Tsunade said when she found Sakura standing before her again. She refused to believe Kabuto would move against Konoha with his pitiful army of weaklings.

As Sakura was explaining what Kabuto was up to she heard a scream, she moved to the window and watched as Kabuto dragged a woman by her hair. "I WON'T LEAVE UNTIL YOU BRING ME SAKURA! I WILL KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IF YOU F AIL TO DO SO" he yelled, multiple villagers pleaded with him for mercy as they did not know where she was. Kabuto laughed and accused them of lying.

"They weren't lying Kabuto." Sakura's voice came from behind him. Kabuto released the woman and turned. "You should not have come here" She said, watching him closely, not noticing when Tsunade, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi shouldered into the crowd to witness the transaction.

"How was the welcome home Sakura? Did they throw you a party?" Kabuto sneered, he moved to grasp a child before Sakura's hand on his wrist stopped him. He glanced at her and smirked "Still grabby are we? That hasn't changed about you, always grabbing something"

"I have an easy way to settle this Kabuto. You choose weapons, I choose conditions and winner gets the prize" Sakura said firmly, Kabuto thought for several minutes before asking what the conditions were. "We fight, up on that training ring. First one to touch the ground dies." Sakura stated without hesitation. Tsunade's eyes widened when she realized what Sakura was doing.

"Fine, I choose the staff. You were always poor in your fighting with it from what I recall, it wasn't your favorite weapon" He mocked her, Sakura smirked and grabbed her own staff, watching as he showed off his skills in aerial flips to get up to the ring. She shook her head and jumped onto the bottom bar before flipping upwards the rest of the way, landing directly before him. "Tch Showoff" he whispered.

He charged at Sakura and she met him strike for strike, when he shifted to hit her side, she spun and landed a kick to his lower back before landing a blow with her staff to his stomach. Sasuke could only watch as Sakura fought one on one with Kabuto for the fate of the village she was banished from. He watched as Kabuto cheated and knocked her off balance and she swung from her staff while her feet were mere inches above the ground. Tsunade shut her eyes in despair and hoped Sakura could pull off a win.

"Why are you doing this Sakura? All this fighting, all the effort for what? A village who doesn't care. They despise you Sakura, hate you. You are worthless" Kabuto stated as he landed blows to her knuckles trying to make her let go of her staff. Sakura blocked out the pain and swung upwards, catching the end of his staff between her feet and kicking backwards and making it hit him in the face before swinging backwards and flipping to land back in the ring.

She spun to the side, evading his staff strike and delivered a side kick, watching as he fell backwards, Sasuke stuck his foot out and tripped Kimimaro, letting Kabuto hit the ground, Sakura flipping and landing on top of him. "I haven't touched the ground yet Kabuto. But You Have" she said looking around. "Hmm, I guess since no one wants to kill you, I will do it myself. Unless you are willing to make a deal" she said.

The villagers all said he didn't deserve a deal. "Swear you will be out of Konoha by sundown and I may let you live Kabuto." She said, emphasizing her point that if he didn't agree she would kill him. He quickly agreed and she let him up, she spun quickly when he threw a dagger. She was confused why he would kill one of his own men when he told her a deal was a deal before saddling up and heading out with his men.

Tsunade moved to Sakura and framed her face in her hands. "Mother forgive me please. I truly did not mean to cause Konoha so much grief, I just want to come home." Tsunade pulled her close and held her tightly before whispering she was home, and that she forgave her.

TIME SKIP A FEW DAYS

She stood at the vegetable stand looking over the tomatoes. Sakura knew Sasuke was picky about his tomatoes before selecting a few. She felt his hands slide around her before he kissed her cheek. "Hey Sasuke. It feels so good to be home." He smiled and turned her around to claim her lips with his own.

"It's good to have you home, Sakura" he whispered.


End file.
